World War II veteran gets honorary degree

A 95-year-old World War II veteran recently received a very special honor.

William Harvey was in the Navy and at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked in 1941, but segregation laws prevented him from fighting in World War II. So, he did his part by serving as a cook, but he was still trained in combat. 

"Nobody wanted the black man in the Navy," Harvey said. 

As part of Black History Month, Harvey was honored Wednesday with an honorary degree from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. It was a gesture he greatly appreciated. 

"At my age, it makes me want to cry," he said. 

The Armed Forces were officially desegregated in 1948.